Youth Olympic Games Update

8/25/2014

NANJING, CHINA -- Team USA approaches the final day of Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing China with three medals, one gold and two bronzes, earned in track & field, which began on Day 5 at the Nanjing Sports Center Stadium

Here’s a look back at U.S. performances in track & field through the eighth day of competition.

All seven U.S. athletes advanced to the A Finals in their events, scheduled for Saturday (Aug. 23).

Day 6 – Thursday, Aug. 21Janie O’Connor (Zachary, La.) and Jeffrey Uzzell (McDonugh, Georgia) finished fourth (12.56) and sixth (11.27) in their 100m qualifying heats on the second day of track and field competition at the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center Stadium.

In field events, Janae Moffitt (Converse, Indiana) finished 14th in the women’s high jump qualification with a jump of 1.65m/5-5, while Kenneth Brinson Jr. (Kennesaw, Georgia) placed 14th in the men’s hammer throw qualification with a throw of 62.30m/204-4.

All four American athletes advanced to the B or C Finals of their events, scheduled for Saturday (Aug. 23) and Sunday (Aug. 24).

Day 7 – Friday, Aug. 22Noah Lyles (Alexandria, Virginia) won his heat in the men’s 200-meter with a personal best time of 20.71, while Marshall Myles (Kingwood, Texas) claimed the top spot in the men’s 800 qualification heat with a time of 1:50.22 on the third day of track & field competition at the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center Stadium.

On the women’s side, Brandee Johnson (Suffolk, Virginia) finished second with a time of 24.21 in the women’s 200 qualification heat, Emma Fitzgerald (Braintree, Massachusetts) finished 12th with a throw of 46.64m/153-0 in the women’s javelin and Chinne Okoronkwo (Lynwood, Washington) placed 13th with a leap of 12.03m/39-5 meters in the women’s triple jump.

Lyles, Myles and Johnson advanced to the A Finals of their events, scheduled for Sunday (Aug. 24), while Fitzgerald and Okoronkwo will compete in the B Final of their events on Monday (Aug. 25).

Day 8 – Saturday, Aug. 23Rhesa Foster (Clovis, California) set a PR and won bronze in women’s long jump, when she leaped 6.17m/20-3. In addition to Foster’s bronze medal, Team USA also garnered five top-10 finishes on the third day of the track & field competition.

Tyler Merkley (Alta Loma, California) and Haley Showalter (Lakewood, Colorado) posted a pair of seventh-place finishes in the men’s and women’s discus with throws of 56.27/184-7 and 45.12/148-0 meters. Meanwhile, on the track, Brittny Ellis (Gurnee, Illinois) placed sixth in the women’s 400-meter with a time of 53.82 seconds, while Amere Lattin (Houston, Texas) crossed the finish line in 15.53 to finish seventh in the men’s 110-meter hurdles.

Earlier in the day, Kimani Rushing (Hallandale, Florida) raced her way to an eighth-place finish in the women’s 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.05.

Day 9- Sunday, Aug, 24Bradee Johnson (Suffolk, Virginia) got off to a successful start in the women’s 200m, leading the pack off the turn. The strong start helped her improve her qualifying time as she crossed the finish in 24.28 to claim the final podium spot for the bronze medal.

Noah Lyles (Alexandria, Virginia), running out of lane 7, came surging around the curve to take the lead heading into the final 100 meters. He never looked back, clocking a winning time of 20.80.

In other action, U.S. women’s high jumper Janae Moffitt finished second in the B Final of the women’s high jump with a leap of 1.73m/5-8 to place 10th overall, while men’s hammer thrower Kenneth Brinson Jr. (Kennesaw, Georgia) tossed 59.51m/195-3, placing sixth in the B Final and 14th overall.

Track and field competition continues Monday (Aug. 25) with the men’s 800 final. Representing Team USA in the event is Myles Marshall, who posted the fastest time after qualification heats. Also on Monday, Emma Fitzgerald will compete in women’s javelin while Chinne Okoronkwo competes in triple jump.